A National Network for Applications of High-Field NMR in the Life and Physical Sciences

核磁共振波谱是一种非常强大的技术，应用于物理和生命科学的许多领域，包括化学、材料科学和生物学的所有分支。它提供了关于溶液和材料中的(生物)分子以及固体中的不溶性分子的丰富信息。提高核磁共振波谱仪的工作频率可以获得更高的灵敏度和分辨率。当处理少量(几十微克)的样品或处理大的生物大分子(蛋白质、DNA、碳水化合物)时，两者都是必需的。同样，特别是对于一些原子核，固态核磁共振在更高的频率上获得了额外的好处。因此，有些情况下，只有高场光谱仪才能解决特定的问题。然而，超高场和超高场光谱仪是有成本的，这在很大程度上与超导磁体的开发和生产有关。因此，当务之急是通过许多研究小组的共享来有效地使用这种工具。现代核磁共振光谱仪是一种多功能的设备，可以定制以处理一系列样品，因此可以跨学科和应用(例如液体和固态)共享。因此，来自英国各地在各种科学学科工作的光谱学家已同意制定一项协调战略，共享甚高场和超高场核磁共振设备，以支持从电池和太阳能电池板研究、酶催化、药物发现、食品安全、了解疾病或环境基质表征等广泛领域的基础和应用科学。通过分享技术先进的方法，对英国社会的影响将最大化，无论是在学术界还是工业界，从而为英国的经济活力和整体福祉做出贡献。作为这一战略的一部分，代表所有苏格兰大学和CRUK Beatson研究所的苏格兰核磁共振研究人员决定围绕升级后的800 MHz核磁共振仪建立苏格兰高场核磁共振中心，该中心位于UOE的SoC。这次升级将为光谱仪配备最新的核磁共振能力，用于液体和固体实验。这包括在第一年安装两个低温探头、MAS控制器、高功率1H放大器和三个固态探头，然后在第三年升级控制台，以保证中心在授权期后继续运行。为该光谱仪配备最新技术并利用现有磁体是实现我们目标的最经济的选择：为物理和生命科学研究人员提供液体和固态核磁共振的尖端支持，以产生重大的学术和工业影响。这台升级的800 MHz液体/固态核磁共振光谱仪的测量时间将由来自苏格兰所有大学的研究人员、CRUK Beatson研究所和UOE的研究人员共享。中心的持续运作将得到苏格兰、苏丹和苏格兰的生命和化学科学参与机构和伞式组织的财政支持。重要的是，该中心将由所有参与机构的工作人员运营。以该中心为中心，中心和辐条模式将用于管理苏格兰中强磁场核磁共振谱仪的使用。这将使人们更容易获得核磁共振设备，促进英国超高场光谱仪的使用，促进日常合作，确保信息交换和最佳实践的传播。SHF核磁共振中心将改变高场核磁共振在学术界和工业界应用于化学、生物、环境和材料科学的方式。它将形成一个与其他区域和国家甚高场和超高场英国核磁共振中心互动的平台。

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is a very powerful technique used in many fields of physical and life sciences, including all branches of chemistry, material sciences and biology. It provides wealth of information about (bio)molecules in solution and materials and insoluble molecules in solid state.Increasing the operating frequency of NMR spectrometers leads to higher sensitivity and resolution. Both are required when working with small (tens of micrograms) amounts of sample, or with large biomacromolecules (proteins, DNA, carbohydrates). Similarly, and especially for some nuclei, solid- state NMR accrues additional benefits at higher frequencies. There are therefore instances where only high-field spectrometers can solve a particular problem. However, very-high field and ultra-high field spectrometers come at a cost, largely associated with the development and production of their superconducting magnets. It is therefore imperative that such instrumentation is used efficiently through sharing by many research groups. Modern NMR spectrometers are versatile pieces of equipment that can be customised to tackle a range of samples, so sharing across disciplines and applications (e.g. liquid- vs solid-state) is possible. Spectroscopists from across the UK working in a wide-range of scientific disciplines have therefore agreed to work towards a coordinated strategy for sharing very-high and ultra-high field NMR equipment to underpin fundamental and applied sciences in a wide range of areas, ranging from battery and solar panel research, enzyme catalysis, drug discovery, food security, understanding disease or characterisation of environmental matrices. By sharing technologically advanced methodologies, the impact on the UK society will be maximised, both in the academia and industry, thus contributing to the UK economic viability and overall well-being.As part of this strategy, Scottish NMR researchers representing all Scottish universities and the CRUK Beatson Institute, have decided to establish Scottish High Field (SHF) NMR Centre around the upgraded 800 MHz NMR spectrometer housed in the SoC at UoE. This upgrade will equip the spectrometer with up-to-date NMR capabilities for liquid- and solid-state experiments. This involves installation of two CryoProbes, MAS controller, high power 1H amplifier and three solid-state probes in Year 1, followed by the upgrade of the console in Year 3 to guarantee continued operation of the Centre beyond the duration of the grant.Equipping this spectrometer with the latest technology and utilising the existing magnet is the most economical option that will fulfil our aim: to provide cutting edge support in liquid- and solid-state NMR to physical and life sciences researchers to deliver significant academic and industrial impact. The measurement time on this upgraded 800-MHz liquids/solid-state NMR spectrometer will be shared between researchers from all Scottish universities, CRUK Beatson Institute and UoE researchers. Sustained operation of the Centre will be guaranteed by the financial support of participating institutions and umbrella organisations of life and chemical sciences in Scotland, SULSA and ScotCHEM. Importantly, the Centre will be operated by staff from all participating institutions.Using the Centre as the focal point, a hub and spoke model will be used to manage access to the mid- to high-magnetic field NMR spectrometers in Scotland. This will optimise access to NMR equipment and facilitate access to ultra-high field spectrometers in England, foster day-to-day cooperation, ensure exchange of information and dissemination of best practise.The SHF NMR Centre will transform the way high-field NMR is applied to chemistry, biology, environmental and material sciences in academia and industry. It will form a platform for interactions with other regional and national very-high field and ultra-high field UK NMR centres.